Dry Blood Revamped
by Ravynfeather
Summary: Newly Revamped Ver. of Dry Blood -Prevu- "Shadow was going to die. He was going to bleed to death and it seemed that his 'immortality' was going to fail him. His head fell back against the brick wall that he leaned on. This is actually happening, Shadow scoffed to himself. This is how I go out – Beaten to death by a kid. I guess you live with dignity; you can't die with it, too."
1. Chapter 1

**New start… Let's keep the swearing to a minimal, shall we?**

**For those of you who don't know, this was originally something I started almost 3 years ago. That being said, it was really, _really_ immature and riddled with holes I couldn't explain. Honestly, this is a trilogy - But I never finished the last book. And, try as I might, I can't get the motivation to keep going on it.**

**So I figured that the only way to get back in the groove was to restart the entire thing, fixing all the holes and details to the best of my ability. Really, I love this series - It's by far the most interesting one I've done. The main antagonist is very likable, the story was... decent, but needed more effort to be good. So I'm doing this.**

**Like always, the first chapter sucks. Things get bloody and fun later, so read on.**

**Oh, and I _will_ read reviews on this version of the story and still take in input.**

**Cover picture done by 'AmazingKatana4' on DeviantART (By request)**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Two pathetically dependent robots watched on nervously as Doctor Eggman impatiently tapped his large foot. The tall, round man glared through a thick sheet of glass – the only thing protecting the trio from what lies on the other side. The only things in that room were a large, makeshift chamber and the machinery that kept the chamber powered. The glass on the chamber that sat on an angle against the wall was either steamy or smoke-screened – It was impossible to tell.

Doctor Eggman let out an abrupt exhale and snapped his head in the direction of the robots. "How much longer?" He demanded like a child waiting to receive a toy.

The tall, thin, yellow robot named Decoe glanced nervously at the small screen in front of him. "S-… Uh.." He stuttered and looked up at Eggman nervously, whose brow was depressed into a deep 'V' shape. "Several seconds more, Docor… What, um, what _exactly_ is this experiment, Sir?"

Eggman turned away from the robots, clenching one of his hands into a fist, holding the other behind his back. When he spoke, it was with passion. "This '_Experiment_' will help make my Eggman-Empire. This '_Experiment_' is going to be the strongest thing to ravage this planet. This '_Experiment_' is 'Mortuus'… For now." He turned back to the glass window to look at the chamber. Beside him, the timer on Decoe's screen reached '0', and an evil grin sneaked onto the Doctor's face.

There was a stiff silence that followed the repeated high pitched alarm noise that alerted the trio of the finished countdown. It continued to alarm as Eggman grinned deviously at the chamber. It was as if he was preparing himself for what lied ahead.

Little did he know - as he flicked the switch below the small, green light that flicked on and off in time to the alarm – that this '_Experiment_', this new creature named Mortuus, would be a bane to many people's existence. This was only the first, tiny baby step.

The glass on the chamber released with an abrupt jerk, releasing the smoke. Before it even had a chance to clear, a large metal claw reached into the chamber, cutting through the dark clouds and leaving a small trail of smoke as it exited the chamber with its objective – A large, steel tube with a number pad on the side.

An anticipating air filled the small, underground room that the trio's experiment was being created. Bocoe, the shorter, thicker, purple robot clapped happily, then slowed to a stop when he realized that everyone else seemed to be scared of the '_Experiment_'. "So… What does it do, Sir?" Bocoe asked awkwardly. "It's… just a tube."

Eggman didn't look down at the robots as he spoke. Again, his voice was filled with emotion and passion. "It will destroy anything that stands in my way – _Including_ that pesky _rat_."

Decoe and Bocoe exchanged glances. "What about Shadow, Sir?"

"Did I stutter?" Eggman turned to the robots.

"No…"

"No! That's right." He smiled again, grinning at his own creation. "Yes, my little idiots. 'All' includes the Project: Shadow."

The two robots couldn't help but feel the passion radiating off of Eggman. The Doctor was just so _confident_ about this Experiment… So proud. What was it that Eggman created, and why did he believe that it was so powerful?

As Eggman entered a specified code into the computer in front of him, he spoke with vigor. "I will release Mortuus into a vessel. Normally, any vessel would do… But when it comes to that blue rat, extra precautions will have to be made. That being said…" He held his hand out to a panel that opened above the thick sheet of glass. The metal tube slid through and fell lightly into Eggman's hand. "We will need someone that they can't hurt – Not because they're too powerful, but because they're too weak." He weighed the tube thoughtfully, quickly thinking the plan through. "Someone they all have an emotional attachment to."

Decoe and Bocoe gazed up at the Doctor, their mechanical eyes sparking with admiration and awe. "So brilliant…" They breathed in unison.

Eggman ignored them, staring down at the tube like it was an object to study. It took about a minute, but, finally, he sighed and turned to the idiot robots. Hesitantly, he held out the steel tube. "Release this upon that person. I'm afraid I won't be able to tag along… Technicalities and all. Too many variables, too many chances that Mortuus will take _my_ mind. It's best that only you two go."

"What do you mean by that, Sir?"

"I mean that whatever's in this tube will stop at nothing to get a proper host – If I'm there, I would just confuse it and disorient it." He started towards the door on the other side of the claustrophobic, underground room. "You have one job – Do _not_ mess it up."

"Wait – Who are we supposed to release it on?!"

"Well, isn't it obvious?"

"… No. No it's not, Sir."

Eggman grinned to himself and stopped at the door. Over his shoulder, he glanced at the idiot robots. "The fox." He stated simply before walking out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Let's just get this part over and done with, shall we? The first book is the one that truly will be painful to write…. Too many Sonic X happy-moments. Eugh.**

**Let's _not_ revel in those moments, thanks.**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Tails was around the backside of Christopher Throndyke's mansion, rummaging through a tool case. He was working on the X Tornado, fine tuning it. Things have been rather quiet, lately, but he wanted to be prepared for anything. He didn't know what Eggman had up his sleeve for their next encounter.

"What are you doing, Tails?" A soft voice asked from behind the fox.

Tails turned to the speaker – Cream, who had Cheese at her side, like always – and smiled. "I'm just tuning the X Tornado up – We have to be ready for everything." He glanced at the tray weighed down with food that she held in her hands. "Is that for me?"

Cream smiled and Cheese chirped. "It's for us! We can have a picnic."

Tails glanced down at his hands, which were covered in oil and other miscellaneous stains from the X Tornado. He frowned. "Let me go wash up, first."

Happily agreeing, Cream set the tray down on the grass and set the picnic blanket out that was folded neatly and placed on the side of the tray.

While Tails was putting away some of his tools before washing up, he heard Cream gasp in fear. Far too late, she hollered "Behind you, Tails!"

But, by then, Tails was already pushed to the ground. Stunned by the abrupt change of pace, Tails scrambled to think before doing the same to get away. As he stumbled to his feet, he glanced behind himself, getting a glance of his attackers – The moron robots that dedicated their lives to Eggman. "Cream, get Sonic!"

The young rabbit hesitated before nodding and running off to the entrance of the house. Tails looked back at the robots and stood his ground, only hoping that Sonic would get here fast enough. "What do you want?" He demanded, hovering slightly as his tails spun.

Bocoe, the short stocky robot, reached for one of the wrenches that still lay in the grass. With some sort of pathetic battle cry, he ran after Tails with it, holding the wrench above his head so he could hit at moment's notice.

Tails easily moved to the side dodging the wrench – But falling right into the hands of Decoe. The fox was pulled to the ground and easily pinned down, despite his struggling. "Let _go_ of me, you freaks!" Tails grunted angrily. He saw that one of the robots, the stocky one that wasn't holding him down, was unscrewing the lid of a steel tube. Reluctantly, the tube was brought to Tails' face. Bocoe quickly pulled the cap off before plugging the hole of it with Tails' snout.

Tails opened his mouth to protest, to scream at them to let him go and take that ridiculous tube off his face, but he froze. It was a mixture of pain and fear, that made him stop, as something cold crawled its way down his throat. It clawed into his body and took root. As the robots took several steps back, getting off Tails and moving away, the fox could feel an icy coolness spreading through his veins after only a couple of seconds. It reached his brain and turned into a piercing pain, as if the robots had pinned his head with a knife.

Tails ignored the robots and brought his hands to his head. He gripped it tightly, his moans of pains turning to screams as whatever was in the tube made itself at home. He felt himself getting weak, almost as if he was losing control of his own body. He tried to crawl away, but he fell limp before he could even start moving.

"Oh no! What are we going to do now?! Eggman with take us apart for sure!"

"Wait, he's not dead! Come on; help me carry him, or that Sonic thing will be here soon!"

"Do you honestly think we can outrun him, you-"

"Shut up and help me carry him!"

The young fox was dimly aware of everything that was going on around him, but it tore him up on the inside that he couldn't do anything to stop it. His head was dizzy and his consciousness threatened to wane. The very last thing he saw before he passed out was Eggman's red, white and yellow hovercraft, the mechanical claw descending as it neared Tails.

* * *

Shadow followed Sonic out to the side of the mansion. They were just in time to see Eggman flying off in the distance, a small, yellow bundle of fur hanging from the end of the mechanical claw that was still extended, but retracting quickly.

Immediately, Sonic pushed off the grass, heading for Eggman's craft, which was speeding up. Shadow was almost knocked back by the speed of which Sonic was moving. The black-and-red hedgehog was about to follow after him, but he stopped when he looked at Eggman's craft: It's panels shuddered before reflecting their surroundings. A cover made of similar material slid over top the hovercraft, concealing the man. Before he knew, Shadow couldn't even see the craft. It has disappeared.

Without hesitation, Shadow called out for Sonic, running after him. They can't fight something they can't see. They can't track something that isn't there.

Shadow caught up to Sonic, who had already stopped and was staring down the direction that Eggman had gone before disappearing. He said nothing as Shadow slowed to a stop beside him; he only stood with his hands clenched in fists, staring up at the sky.

Shadow crossed his arms and followed Sonic's gaze as they stood in the forest that surrounded Chris' land.

_ What is Eggman doing? And, more importantly, what does he want with Tails in specific?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Sonic's gang of friends was all in the attic of the garage, silent as they waited for someone to speak. Knuckles sat in the corner of the room in a wooden chair, Sonic lounged in the bean-bags with Amy beside him on the floor pillows, Chris and Chuck on the wheelie chairs and Cream and Cheese sat on the edge of the bed. Shadow stood alone, leaning against the wall that had the TV on it.

"It so different without Tails…" Cream finally muttered, holding Cheeze against her chest. The Chao chirped in response.

"I don't get why Eggman took Tails. It's not like he'll tell Eggman anything." Amy folded her legs underneath herself and pressed her knuckles into her thighs.

"I don't know," Sonic sat up, resting an arm on one of his knees. "But whatever the reason, Eggman's gone way too far." He declared. Amy made a little noise in her throat that sounded like an agreement. Sonic continued: "We need to find out what he's up and get Tails back."

Shadow crossed his arms, his eyes sweeping the room. After seemingly weighing everyone, he spoke. "He probably chose him because he's the weakest, but smartest, of us all. He can't fight against Eggman physically, only mentally; and the mind is weaker than one thinks."

Sonic watched Shadow with a concerned look on his face. "Eggman needs to be stopped." He said simply. "That's all there is to it."

"Then why are we just sitting up here?" Knuckles demanded, his eyes flaring. "Why aren't we out there, looking for Eggman and Tails?"

"Because we have no idea where Eggman is hiding out this time."

"I agree with the echidna. We should be out _looking_ for him, since we don't know where he is." Shadow spoke silkily, a sliver of anger shining through his words. Everyone stopped and looked at him with wide eyes. Instinctively, Shadow narrowed his eyes. "Is there a problem?"

"You just agreed with Knuckles…" Chris trailed off, his brow furrowed.

Shadow rolled his eyes and pushed away from the wall, keeping his arms crossed. "Honestly, is this what you people have decided to spend this time on? We don't have time to be arguing with each other – Knuckles has a point. We need to be out there, looking for Eggman and Tails before it's too late. If you don't go soon, I'm leaving on my own."

There was an awkward silence, the only noise was Sonic's foot tapping impatiently. Surprising everyone, Amy stood up. "If you're going, I'm going too."

Knuckles blinked and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and lifting his chin. "You can count me in, too. I'm not missing out on this."

Immediately, Shadow smirked and gave a shake of his head. "No. I agreed with you – Let's not go so far as to actually work side-by-side." He let his arms fall. "Sonic and I need to keep as low profile as we can. This means two people max. So let's put this into terms you might understand: You stay here and make sure everyone else is safe while Sonic and I look for Tails. Got it?" He started towards the hatch that opened up to the stairs of the attic. "I'm going. _Now_."

As the hatch door closed behind him, Shadow heard Chris ask in a very insulted and taken aback tone "Jeez, what's gotten into him?"

"I don't know," Shadow heard Sonic say with a bored voice, as if this was all too repetitive. "It probably has something to do with Maria. He lost _her_ – He doesn't need to lose Tails, too. _I'd_ be angry if I were him." Then, with more emotion, he heard Sonic say "I oughta go catch up with him. Catch ya on the flipside, guys." He bubbled. Shadow heard the hatch open and quick footsteps follow him down the stairs and across the hall. As soon as he was side-by-side with Shadow, he asked "So where should be check first, Shads?"

"Aren't you supposed to be the leader, or something?" Shadow growled, already ruing the conversation. He shrugged off the temptation to make a snide, deriving comment. "Let's check downtown first. Eggman is usually quick to send out a 'bot. We should find something there."

Before they started off, Sonic stepped in front of Shadow. "So what's up with you? Why are you so determined to help Tails?" He crossed his arms. "Cause, last time I checked, it was Tails and _I_ who were like brothers, not you and Tails. Besides, I thought you hated everyone."

Shadow gave him a sideways smile. "It's really none of your business."

"Right? Is it about Maria? Or something else?"

"What does it matter? As long as we get him back, you shouldn't have to care." Shadow pushed past him and kicked off ground, his shoes igniting and pushing him faster.

* * *

Shadow and Sonic flashed past many alleyways, but only one made them stop – The one with the clump of yellow fur lying at the mouth. The alleyway, though large, seemed to stop short. It was hard to tell, though, in the dim lighting. The moon hung in the sky above them, like a milky eye.

"I say we go in." Sonic declared finally.

Shadow watched the darkness of the alley, expecting one of Eggman's 'bots to jump out, holding Tails' captive. "You don't think it's a trap?

"Of course it's a trap," Sonic glanced over at Shadow. "But how are we going to find out where Tails is if we don't fall for it?" He walked into the dark alleyway, not checking to see if Shadow was following. "Gotta be brave."

"Is it bravery or stupidity?" Shadow muttered as he, too, walked into the alley.

"We can handle _anything_ Eggman throws at us, Shads. He's not exactly _brilliant_ when it comes to fights, remember?"

The alley was, in fact, a bricked-up dead end. The walls had no doors and the gap between the two roofs was just barely big enough for them to be able to see the top crescent of the moon. It was silent, short of the occasional passing car.

And then there was the sound of the gun loading.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Both Shadow and Sonic froze in their tracks at the clicking of the gun. Immediately, Shadow's heart quickened. Images of his past were racing through his mind; memories of the ARK… Of his first encounter with a G.U.N soldier. And, before he whipped around to face the attacker, he swapped glances with Sonic, who seemed to be the calmer of the two of them.

When Shadow turned, he had to take a moment to let his mind process what he was seeing. Tails, for it was he, stood at the entrance of the alleyway, holding an unwavering gun with a blank face. When he spoke, his expression didn't change – But it didn't need to. The emotion in his voice was enough to convey a sneer, a smug expression. "Hey, there. Looking for me?"

Sonic smirked. "Hey, buddy – You're just the little man we were looking for. How 'bout you put down that gu-"

"No." Tails quickly cut him off, his tone and expression emotionless. It was like all the personality was sucked out of him. "I don't think that's going to happen."

Shadow and Sonic took a moment to let this sink in before speaking again. "You're not thinking right. Eggman messed around in your mind." Sonic continued slowly. "The Tails I know wouldn't even _fathom_ about letting this happen."

Tails tipped his head to the side and an unmotivated smile flashed across his pursed lips. "Well, maybe…" He trailed off as if he was summoning the right words, lifting his shoulders into a shrug. "… Maybe it _isn't_ Tails thinking?"

Sonic smirked. "Tails is _always_ thinking, no matter what is going on in his head. I don't know who you are or what you think, but Tails can always come through for us – I trust him."

Tails smiled. "How _touching_. Forgive me if I kill you _before_ you get to the part in your speech about _friendship_ and _magic_ and _love_."

"Careful where you let your sarcasm drip; I wouldn't want to slip on it." Sonic stepped a little closer to Shadow, as if to empathize their strength. "And what is ol' Baldy gonna do when we're dead?" He gestured to Sonic and himself. "He's _nothing_ without us. He's gonna rule the world and have _no one_ to stop him."

"Hmm, sarcasm. I like it – I'll consider it a potential personality." Quickly, Tails became serious again. "And you're wrong. The rest of your little friends will prove as an interesting distraction – But, with me around, nothing can stop Eggman."

"_Someone_ will be brave enough to stop you."

"Please, go on. I love hearing these movie clichés – Proceed to tell me that I have no chance! Tell me that you've stopped Eggman's plans before and that you'll stop them again. Tell me that I won't get away with this! That _I'm _the bad guy and that _I'm_ making a mistake! Go ahead, break some copyright rules; ask me if I'm feelin' lucky!"

Sonic's lips twitched with a hint of humor. He straightened his back and made the shocker sign at Tails, sticking his tongue out rebelliously. "Are you feeling lucky today, kid?"

At those words, Shadow Chaos Controlled behind Tails and attempted to snatch the gun from the kid's hand. To Shadow's surprise, Tails was already turning around with the gun's butt aimed for Shadow's chin. Shadow's eyes widened in surprise as he was knocked back by the child's strike. As Tails turned to face Sonic, who had every intention of restraining Tails, Shadow brought his pointer and index finger to the corner of his mouth. When he pulled away and looked down at them, a smear of bright red stained the ivory of his gloves. He looked back up and watched as Tails proceeded to dodge an attempt to be restrained from Sonic, and then trip him and jump back.

"Get back to the rest of the group!" Sonic shouted to Tails as he rolled to his feet only to be pushed forcefully against the brick wall and knocked back down to the ground. It wasn't like Tails to fight. Shadow wasn't sure he knew _how _to fight… And he didn't even know if Tails would be willing to fire the gun. At least, that's what he _thought_.

"Tails, stop this." Shadow demanded, ignoring the surprised look he got from Sonic. "You're not in control – Who is?" When he didn't get an answer, Shadow bristled. "_Stop_!"

Tails slowly turned and glared at Shadow. He put a foot on Sonic's chest and lowered the gun to the blue hedgehog's head. "Your name is Shadow the Hedgehog. You're an experimental project from the space colony ARK, created by Professor Gerald Robotnik. 'Project: Shadow', the name of the project that became you, but was originally conducted for the sole purpose of creating immortality, was shut down. It was too 'dangerous'. But you were too close to Maria Robotnik to be simply killed off. She set you free. So you crashed here. Since you've been woken up, you've been used, abused and broken. You haven't trusted, let alone liked, _anyone_ since Maria was murdered." He squinted his eyes. "Why are you fighting so hard for someone you don't even like?"

Shadow glared at this thing that was pretending to be Tails, avoiding the question. "Who _are_ you?" He demanded.

Tails sighed and rolled eyes. Ever so casually, he removed his foot from Sonic's chest and shot three times – There was a short, high-pitched scream that was quickly cut off as the fox shot Sonic between the eyes and two careless shots in the chest and stomach. Every motion was slow and lazy, as if he were bored. Shadow's eyes widened. "_No!_" He started towards Tails. But Tails, surprisingly, pulled Shadow back into the alleyway by the arm and stood in the entrance, again. Shadow, not willing to give up, shot a Chaos Spear at the gun that Tails held. The gun bucked and black smoke erupted from it. Tails glanced down at it and hastily shook the gun. Panicking, he tossed the gun onto the road outside the alleyway, where it fired off a bullet before exploding.

"OK…" Tails muttered before turning back to Shadow, shaking the hand that held the gun. "So I guess you _can_ fight." He linked his fingers together and stretched, popping the joints. "Very well. If you wish to fight by hand, we shall!" He flexed his fingers, letting the cloth tear as the strangest thing happened – From the cloth emerged long, sharp, claw-like fingers that glistened in the dim moonlight.

Shadow took one step back, trying to process everything that just happened. Sonic lay on the ground with wide eyes and his blood pooling around him. Dead. He was _dead_. Gone – Forever. Shadow looked up at Tails with terrified eyes. His talons flexed and his head tilted. _This is no time to be hesitant_, Shadow repeated over and over in his head. But, despite that, despite everything he'd ever seen and done, he was both terrified and confused. "Who _are_ you…?" He breathed, taking another step back. "What has Eggman _done_ to you?"

Tails smirked and looked down at his hands, flexing the talons again. "He's _improved_ this pathetic body. Its imperfections are destroyed… Reborn anew."

"There's a loophole," Shadow barked, trying to get to Tails – Trying to get Tails _back_. "There's always a loophole! Fight this thing, Tails!"

Tails laughed with a little more emotion than he had before. "Even the Ultimate Life Form has a weakness, Shadow. I however… I _don't_. I'm the perfect being. And you are just as feeble as the rest of them."

"Sounds like _somebody_ has a God Complex."

"And for a good reason," He grinned, revealing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth (the first of many). Then, just as quick as Sonic would move, Tails zipped in front of Shadow and pushed him up against the brick wall. Immense pain exploded across Shadow's chest and he cried out in surprise and pain. He glanced down at his chest and saw four decently deep gouges that now scarred him. The pink flesh was already streaming blood, running down his legs and off his shoes. And, again, Shadow was pushed against the wall, this time Tails' hand was tightly gripping the hedgehog below the chin. He slid Shadow up the wall so his legs were dangling uselessly. The strength that Tails was using took Shadow by surprise. "Make one move," Tails growling, his iris' rippling and twitching momentarily before clouding over, turning ebony. "And I'll kill you in the most excruciatingly painful way I can think of. And then, I'll rip off your friend Sonic's head and propose it as a gift to your _other_ friends before I kill _them_."

Shadow watched Tails' face contort into a sneer. "Who are you…?" He finally breathed.

"I'm a ghost." He tilted his head and his lips twitched into a smile. "I'm a ghost of what you used to be, Shadow. I am what you always could have been. But you chose a different path, and now I'm the one who treads it."

"I was never -"

"You were created for immortality and woken up with a thirst for blood! When you were released from that pod, killing is all you wanted to do - But Eggman ordered you to steal and hurt no one... that fat idiot. You could have been something."

"You're a fool, working for Eggman."

"And if I'm a fool, what does that make you? A gullible moron?"

Shadow glared at him and tried to push away, but was surprised at how helpless he seemed to be. Blood loss was getting to him..? "Let go of me," Shadow spat, baring his teeth.

Tails mirrored his expression with passion and his hands twitched. He brought his hand up above his head. "I've had enough of you. The moment you're dead, I get my own body – So hurry up and die!" He hissed before bringing his hand down with force, raking his talons across the right side of Shadow's face.

Pain.

Searing, maddening pain. It coursed through Shadow like electricity through a metal pole, lingering and then making its reappearance. Shadow was dropped into a pool of his on blood on the ground below him and his back arched against the wall, his hands groping his right eye fruitlessly. There was partial feeling in the eye, the pain numbing out the rest of its senses. Shadow could only pray that the feeling would return when it was healed. _If_ he wasn't murdered in the next few minutes.

As Shadow cried out and grunted in pain from his eye, Tails stepped away from him. "You wanted to know so _badly_, and I suppose you deserve it, since you're dying for me and all... I guess I'll tell you who I am." He wiped the blood from his claws onto the white chest fur that was sprayed with two different people's blood. When he was satisfied he crouched to eye-level with Shadow and, with the same expressionless look, said "My designated name is Mortuus, and I was created to kill you and Sonic." He stood, straightening his back, and stared down and Shadow, whose vision was starting to blur and fade. This 'Mortuus' recognized it and drove a strong kick into Shadow's chest – right into the fresh wounds. "Wake up, now!" He yelled loudly. His voice wavered and crackled, like a radio does when you change the station, until it was lower, darker, silkier and bone-chilling. "We wouldn't want you to miss anything," He growled, putting a foot on Shadow's leg. "Teleport to safety, I come with you – And I will slaughter everyone in that vicinity."

Shadow, who was barely managing to keep his head up, muttered a dark curse that was barely audible.

"What's that?" Mortuus cupped one of his ears with a blood-encrusted hand. "You want to know how I'm getting away with this?" Shadow repeated his words, slightly louder, but was still ignored. "Well, you _see_, Shadow… Eggman may be a fat _idiot_, but, when it comes to plans like this, everything had to be thought of. Street cameras, police, commoners – and so on and so on. The Doctor is dealing with that. He has plans and _I_ want to carry them through. My job was to kill you – And kill you I did." He kicked Shadow in the gut again. "I can already feel my freedom," He whispered, crouching at Shadow's feet, again, and setting his hands on the hedgehog's feet. "You're going to die."

Shadow _was_ going to die.

He was going to bleed to death and it seemed that his 'immortality' was going to fail him. His head fell back against the brick wall that he leaned on. _This is actually happening,_ Shadow scoffed to himself. _This is how I go out – Beaten to death by a kid. I guess you live with dignity; you can't _die_ with it, too._

His vision suddenly had a hiccup and his good eye wigged out, twitching around in the socket as blotches of darkness started to envelope his vision. He couldn't even save himself – How did he expect to save Sonic and Tails?

As his vision atrophied, he heard something he wished had happened _after_ he died – The sound of the real Tails screaming in agony, fear and distress; a scream that didn't stop, even as Shadow's consciousness failed him.

* * *

A tall, thin girl with a sadly short, leather trench coat on quickly stood straight at the sound of the distant gun shots._ One, two, three…_ For a moment, she stood there on the roof of that apartment building, her ebony eyes wide and her brows furrowed. She waited for the sounds of sirens, for someone to scream – Anything. But, short of the traffic and the chattering passerby's, there was no follow-up noise. The girl even began to doubt that she had heard the shots.

Then, from the same general area the shots had come from, the girl saw a small cloud of black smoke rise and disappear.

And she continued to stare in that direction, mentally mapping out the quickest route. A smile slowly crept onto her face and she wanted to laugh gleefully. It's been quite some time, most of it spent asleep, but she was always able tell when he was in trouble.

"Well, then." She lifted her head and smiled even wider, her straight, blond hair whipping mildly in the nighttime breeze. "I guess I didn't have to look that hard after all, Shadow."

She took a couple of steps back to get a running jump before leaping across the gap between the rooftops of the apartments. As she continued heading towards the sound the gun shots came from, she upholstered a black and silver revolver etched with gold. Still grinning to herself and jumping rooftops, she couldn't help but huff under her breath "I'll get to you in time, Shads," in her excitement.


End file.
